Corn Chowder with White Cheddar & Bacon

This my version of Ina Garten's, the Barefoot Contessa, Cheddar Corn Chowder (which you can find on the Food Network's website). It is one of my family's favorite soups. It's perfect for a rainy summer night or any time you want something warm & satisfying. I made this the evening after we had to have our beloved cocker spaniel, Kaeli, put to sleep. It was so comforting & hearty, just what we needed. And it required just enough effort that it gave me something to do without having to think too much about it. Ingredients:

6-7 slices of Bacon

3 small Yellow Onions, chopped

4 tbsp of Butter

1/4 cup of All Purpose Flour

3-4 sm/medium Russet Potatoes, cut into 3/4" pieces

5 1/2 cups of Chicken Broth

1 1/2- 2 lbs of frozen Corn

3/4-1 cup Half & Half

1 cup White Cheddar Cheese, shredded

1/4 tsp ground Turmeric

Salt & Pepper

Olive Oil

Directions:

Chop your bacon into about 1" pieces. Place the chopped bacon in a dutch oven or large coup pot. I use a Le Creuset 5.5 Qt Dutch Oven to cook this & it is full. So make sure that you are using a big enough pot to hold all of the soup! ( I would say that this recipe makes 6 (large) servings.Cook the bacon until it is crisp (over medium/ high heat) stirring frequently. Drain with a slotted spoon & set aside. While your bacon is cooking, chop the potatoes into 3/4" pieces. I used russet, but yukon gold would be good too. After you remove the cooked bacon from the pan, scoop out about half of the bacon fat. (This is optional, but I found that the excess fat wasn't needed & made the soup feel a bit greasy.) Add the butter & onions to the remaining butter fat & cook until soft. Once the onions have softened, add the flour, turmeric, salt & pepper. Cook for a few minutes, stirring often. (The turmeric will turn it a lovely gold color & give it great flavor, so make sure you don't leave it out!) Add the chicken broth, stirring to incorporate. Turn the heat up to high & bring to a boil. Add the potatoes & cook just they are fork tender. Add the frozen corn to the chowder & stir. (I use frozen corn because it is easy but you could definitely use fresh!) Then add in the half & half. Cook for about 5 more minutes to incorporate all the flavors. Check your seasonings- add more salt & pepper, if needed. (Keep in mind that you'll be topping it with bacon & cheese.) Ladle the chowder into bowls & top with a generous amount of cheese, then sprinkle with bacon. This was my 4 year old's bowl- she loves this! I mean, really...what kid (or adult) doesn't like cheese & bacon?!? I garnished ours with some fresh chopped parsley, but spring onions would be good too.